Bobbin processing

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and a method for readying filled supply bobbins for receipt by a winding machine. As each bobbin is delivered to the apparatus it is given a preliminary servicing and inspection, whereupon the bobbin is either rejected or further processed by having a tailing or inner end of the body of yarn severed and an unwinding or outer end of the yarn picked-up and formed into a bunch which is deposited by means of a ram in a hollow core of the bobbin for retention therein until subsequent retrieval at the winding machine. Next the bobbin is again inspected and either rejected or directed to the winding machine. The rejected bobbins may be deposited in a bin for manual inspection.

United States Patent .191

Nelson et a1.

1 1 Apr. 17, 1973 1 BOBBIN PROCESSING [75] Inventors: John Nelson, North Kingstown; William E. Stoppard, Warwick, both of [21] App1.No.: 186,183

Related US. Application Data 63] Continuation of Ser. No. 859,150, Sept. 18, 1969,

abandoned.

52 us. Cl. ..242/35.6 R 51 lm. Cl. ..B65h 54/00 58 Field of Search ..242/18 R, 35.5 R, 242/355 A, 35.6 R, 35.65

[56] References Cited UNITED; STATES PATENTS 2,675,971 4/1954 Abbott ..242/35.6 R 3,029,031 4/1962 Furs! 242/356 R 3,136,494 6/1964 Furst ..242/3S.6 E 3,224,694 12/1965 Oishi ..242/35.5 R

' Furst ..242/35.5 R

3,295,775 H1967 Raasch ct al.. ....,242/35.5 R 3,381,908 5/1968 lqushi ct 11.... .....242/35.6 E 3,471 ,lOl 10/1969 Moyer et a1 ..242/35.6 R 3,480,216 11/1969 lannucci et a1 ....242/35.6 R 3,544,018 12/1970 Stoppard et a1 ..242/35.6 R

Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath AltomeyA1bert P. Davis et a1.

[57 ABSTRACT An apparatus and a method for readying filled supply bobbins for receipt by a winding machine. As each bobbin is delivered to the apparatus it is given a preliminary servicing and inspection, whereupon the bobbin is either rejected or further processed by having a tailing or inner end of the body of yarn severed and an unwinding or outer end of the yarn picked-up and formed into a bunch which is deposited by means of a ram in a hollow core of the bobbin for retention therein until subsequent retrieval at the winding machine. Next the bobbin is again inspected and either rejected or directed to the winding machine. The rejected bobbins may be deposited in a bin for manual inspection.

35 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAPR 1 11m 3'. 727. a 52 SHEET 2 [1F 6 F I INVENTORS JOHN NELSON m. WILLIAM Z TQPPARD L... BY I 3s 64 FIG. 3 A

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDAPR 1 H915 3. 727. 852

SHEET 5 [1F 6 R IN VENTORS N NELSON WILLIA; P RD ATTORNEYS BOBBIN PROCESSING This application is a continuation of co-pending US. Pat. application Ser. No. 859,150 filed Sept. 18, 1969, now abandoned.

As used herein the term bobbin" means a wound body of yarn or an article on which a body of yarn material is or may be wound so that the yarn may readily be moved from place to place. The term filled bobbin" means a bobbin whether full or partially full of yarn. The term yarn is employed in a general sense to apply to all kinds of strand material either textile or otherwise.

Various expedients have been proposed for preparing a bobbin for automatic threading at a winding station of a winding machine. Such expedients include winding the outer end of the strand of yarn about the bobbin core or depositing the free end of the strand in the hollow core. These expedients leave much to be desired in facilitating retrieval of the outer end for threading at the winding station. Such threading is usually accomplished by vacuum retrieval means such as an aspirator, or by a hook or similar mechanical device and often by hand. Commonly assigned US. Pat. No. 3,544,018, issued Dec. 1, 1970, is directed to processing a filled bobbin to form the unwinding end of the yarn into a bunch which is deposited in a hollow core of the bobbin for subsequent retrieval of the unwinding end at a winding station of a winding machine. The present invention concerns improvements thereon.

The invention is, in brief, directed to an apparatus and a method for readying a filled bobbin for use in a winding machine. Foreign matter in the bobbin core is removed and the bobbin is inspected, the tailing end of the body of yarn is severed and unwinding end is prepared for reception at .a winding station. During such preparation the unwinding end is formed into a bunch which is deposited in the bobbin core for retrieval at the winding station. If the bobbin fails to I pass inspection it is rejected from the apparatus.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide a new and improved apparatus and method for readying a filled bobbin for subsequent use and, more particularly, for use at a winding machine.

Another object is to provide a new and improved apparatus and a method for preparing the unwinding end ofa strand of yarn on a bobbin for retrieval at a winding station and, more particularly, for forming this end into a bunch. A related object is provision for depositing the bunch in a hollow core of the bobbin.

Still another object is provision of a new and improved apparatus and method for finding the unwinding end of a strand on a bobbin. A related object is provision for first withdrawing a reverse wound portion, if any, of the end and then withdrawing the normally wound end. Another related object is to withdraw the unwinding end by rotating the bobbin in winding and unwinding directions. Still another related object is provision for withdrawing the unwinding end in conjunction with a fluid current which receives and holds the end.

A further object is provision of new and improved apparatus for forming a strand into a bunch. A related object is provision of a perforate plate-like member on which the strand is deposited, the perforations being formed to prevent the strand from passing through a perforation. Another related object is provision for depositing the bunch in a hollow core and, more particularly, for depositing the bunch by means of a ram.

- A more specific object is provision of a new and improved apparatus and method for readying a bobbin for use at a winding station and including, removing foreign matter from a hollow core of the bobbin, inspecting the core and if necessary rejecting the bobbin, cleaning the bobbin if necessary, trimming the tailing end of the strand of yarn wound on the bobbin, finding the unwinding end of the strand and if desired removing surplusage this end and then forming the unwinding end into a bunch and depositing the bunch in the ho]- low core of the bobbin for subsequent retrieval at the winding station, again inspecting the bobbin and either rejecting the bobbin or passing it to a winding station.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary, schematic, developed, elevational view ofa preferred embodiment of the invention, with parts removed and other parts broken away and in section for clearer illustration;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, schematic, sectional top view taken generally along the line 22 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 33 in FIG. 2, with parts removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view looking generally in the direction of the arrow 4 in FIG. 3, with parts removed for clearer illustration;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary vertical sectional view taken generally along the line 5-5 in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary view of the upper portion of FIG. 5, with certain parts in a different position, and

with parts broken away and in section for clearer illus tration; 1

FIG. is an enlarged, fragmentary, elevational view of a bobbin gripper portion of the apparatus;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view of a bunch maker portion of FIG. 1, with parts broken away and in section for clearer illustration;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, horizontal sectional view taken generally along the line 9-9 in FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary plan view of a sorter portion of FIG. I, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view looking generally in the direction of the arrow 11 in FIG. 10, with parts broken away for clearer illustration;

FIG. 12 (Sheet 3) is a diagram of a portion of the control circuit; and

FIG. 13 is a programming diagram of a control system for the apparatus.

While the invention herein disclosed is applicable to j the processing of various types of bobbins it is illustrated in conjunction with a typical spinning frame or twister bobbin. Such a bobbin has a hollow core with a larger lower end and a smaller upper end. The bobbin core has a strand of yarn wound thereon to form a body of yarn having the general configuration shown in the drawing with an unwinding or outer end and a tailing or inner end from which winding on the core is started. The unwinding end is usually wound in broad spirals around the body to form a halch and then in tail coils on the core at its larger, lower end. Both the tailing end and the unwinding end of the strand of yarn usually extend outwardly from the body of yarn and they may be twisted together or they may be intermeshed with the body of yarn.

The operating sequence of the various steps of the processing cycle is controlled by a known type of programmer. Briefly, the programmer has a shaft with a plurality of cams which operate control valves. This shaft is rotated step by step by a motor in response to an external signal indicating that a bobbin is required.

In general, most of the operations of various valves, valve and cutters, ram, indexing mechanism and other equipment are each driven by a double acting cylinder which has control pressure (40 psi, for example) constantly applied to one end thereof for holding the cylinder's plunger or piston rod in a normal position at one end of the cylinder. Each cylinder is provided with a three-way vented valve which is opened by programmer cam for the passage of an operating pressure (80 psi, for example) to the opposite end of the cylinder for extending or retracting its plunger from the previously mentioned normal position. When the valve is again closed the valve vents the higher pressure end of the cylinder whereupon the control pressure returns the plunger to its normal position.

Referring to the drawings, a base structure of the apparatus includes a base plate 16 having rigid ears 18 for mounting the apparatus and also having positions for a plurality of equally radially spaced stations for serially receiving filled bobbins 20 and progressively readying the bobbins for use at a winding machine (not shown). As indicated, these stations include, in order: a receiving station No. 1 (reference symbol No. l," and so forth), a preliminary servicing and inspection station No. 2, a cleaning and yarn ends processing station No. 3, a bunch making and bunch depositing station No. 4, a bunch inspection station No. 5, and a discharge station No. 6. All stations normally contain a bobbin.

BOBBIN CARRIER Movement of the bobbins 20 from station to station is provided by a carrier 22 including a circular lower plate 24 and a circular upper plate 26 rigidly fixed to each other by spacers 28 and concentric with and rotatable about a column 30 fixed, as by a key 32 (FIG. 3), in a socket in a depending boss 34 of the base plate 16.

Movement of the carrier 22 step by step to move its bobbins 20 from station to station is provided by an indexing drive mechanism (FIG. 3). This mechanism includes a racheting drive coupling having a lever 38 integral with the lower end ofa tube 40 journalled, as by bushings 42, on the lower end of the column 30. This lever extends through a slot 44 in the base plate boss 34. A sleeve 46 having a downwardly facing ring of rachet teeth 48 is keyed, as at 50, to the uppwer end of the tube 40 for rotation therewith and axial movement thereon. A compression spring 52 is telescoped about the tube 40 and is seated between an upwardly facing base surface of an annular cut-out 54 in the sleeve 46 and a retaining collar 56 fixed on the top of the tube 40 urges the sleeve teeth 48 downwardly to mesh with a cooperating upwardly facing ring of rachet teeth 58 of an upper positioning member 60. This member is concentric with the column 30 and depends from and is fixed to the underface of the lower plate 24 in any suitable manner. The lever 38 is oscillated by a double acting indexing cylinder 62 pivotally mounted on the base plate 16 and having its plunger 64 pivotally connected as by a pin 66 with the outer end of the lever. The cylinder is operated in the usual manner to move the carrier 22 counterclockwise step by step, as indicated by the arrow 68.

Upper positioning member which is fixed to the underface of the lower plate 24, has a downwardly facing annular cam surface 70 with six identical, equally spaced generally V-shaped cams. This cam surface 70 cooperates with a similar, upwardly facing cam surface 72 on a lower positioning member 74 which is also concentric with the column 30 and which extends upwardly from and is fixed to the upper surface of the base plate 16 by bolts 76. As the indexing drive mechanism moves the carrier 22 from station to station these cooperating cam surfaces 70 and 72 move the carrier upwardly from its old in-station position and then permit it to be moved downwardly to its new instation position responsive to the weight of the carrier and the bobbins 20 on the carrier so that the cam surfaces are fully meshed to retain the carrier in its in-station position.

To prevent the indexing cylinder 62 from turning the carrier 22 too far during indexing, a stop detent 78 (FIG. 2) is pivoted by a pin 80 to the base plate 16. As the indexing cylinder plunger 64 is extended, an extension of the plunger pivot pin 66 rides on a concave surface of a finger 82 (FIGS. 2 and 3) of the detent 78 to permit the detent to pivot inwardly responsive to contraction of a tension spring 84. Said spring 84 has one of its ends attached to a lug on detent 78 and the other end attached to an anchor on the base plate 16. Upon moving inwardly the detent 78 is positioned to engage an adjacent one of six outwardly extending stops 86 on the upper positioning member 60 to limit movement of the carrier 22. As the indexing cylinder plunger 64 returns to its retracted position after having indexed the carrier, the extension of its pivot pin 66 rides on the concave surface of the finger 82 to release the detent 78 from the stop 86 and positions the detent for again pivoting inwardly to engage the next stop 86 upon another indexing of the carrier.

BOBBIN GRlPPlNG APPARATUS For gripping the bobbins 20, the upper and lower plates 24 and 26 carry six self-centering bobbin gripper units 88 (FIG. 1) which are equally radially spaced about the column 30. Each gripper unit 88 includes vertically aligned pairs of grippers 90 (FlGS. l, 2 and 7) one pair 90 on each of the upper and lower plates 24 and 26, for gripping upper and lower portions ofa bobbin 20. Each gripper unit 88 can handle various diameters of full bobbins as well as partially filled bobbins and, if necessary, empty bobbin cores 92, and present the bobbins properly centered at the stations. Each pair of grippers 90 has a pair of generally horizontal fingers 94 with opposed concavities 96 (FIG. 2) at outer ends thereof for gripping and centering the bobbin 20 therebetween. At their inner ends the fingers 94 each have an integral upstanding portion 98 (FIG. 7) which receives a horizontal pivot pin 100 seated in a bracket 102 (FIGS. 2 and 7) common to the pair of fingers 94 and fixed to the adjacent upper or lower plate 24 or 26. Meshed gear segments 104, one on each of the upstanding portions 98, cause each pair of fingers 94 to open and close in unison and to center the gripped bobbin. Each pair of fingers 94 is urged closed by a common tension spring 106 secured to the upstanding portions.

All of the units of grippers 88 open inunison, after the carrier 22 is in an in-station position, and upon operation of a gripper actuating mechanism shown best in FIGS. 1 and 7. This mechanism includes a lower actuating disc 108 for the lower gripper pairs 90 and an upper actuating disc 110 for the upper gripper pairs 90. These discs 108 and l are above the upper and lower plates 24 and 26, respectively, and are rigidly connected to each other by a tube 112 telescoped about the column 30 and fixed to the discs. The lower disc 108 has ports to receive the mounting plate spacers 28. To open the gripper units for releasing the bobbins a double acting gripper cylinder 114 (FIG. 1) is operated to depress the discs into engagement with buttons 115 (FIGS. 2 and 7) one on one of the finger upright portions 98 of each pair of fingers 94. This cylinder 114 is fixedly secured to and extends through the bight of an inverted U-shaped bracket 116 fixed to and extending upwardly from the upper disc 110, with the cylinder plunger 118 rigidly threaded into the top of the column 30. When the plunger 118 is retracted it lifts the discs 108 and 110 to permit the gripper units 88 to close, and upon extending the plunger the gripper units open.

THE BOBBIN PROCESSING STATIONS RECEIVING STATION- NO. 1

At the bobbin receiving station No. 1, a bobbin is delivered through a tube 120 (FIG. 1) and drops through the open pairs of grippers 90 until a larger, lower end 122 of its core 92 drops onto a magnet seat 124 on and preferably flush with the base plate 16. The seat may be secured to the base plate in any suitable manner and is schematically illustrated as secured with in a non-magnetic ring 126 having ajam fit with a port in the base plate. Each bobbin has magnetic rings 128, such as steel rings, on either end, and the bobbin is thereby magnetically coupled by the ring 128 on its larger core end 122 to the seat so that it is held erect. Just before the carrier 22 is to be indexed the bobbin 20 is gripped by the adjacent pair of grippers 90.

THE PRELIMINARY SERVICING AND INSPECTION STATION NO. 2

As the carrier 22 is indexed the bobbin 20 is raised off the magnetic seat 124 (FIG. 1) and the bobbin is shown), a jet of air is projected through the nozzle 134 to clean the interior of the bobbin core 92 and to blow obstructing matter out of the core. Such obstructing matter might be paper, cloth or, as shown, an old bunch 138 in a bobbin returned from the winder. Inspection means includes the reflector 132 and a photo-cell scanner 140 fixed relative to the base plate 16 and mounted directly above the reflector 132 and the bobbin core 92.'Any other suitable inspection system, such as a pneumatic system may be provided in lieu of the photo-cell system. When connected in circuit by the programmer, such a photo-cell scanner 140 projects a ray of light through the bobbin core 92 to the reflector 132, which reflects the ray back to the scanner if the core is clear, whereupon the bobbin is eventually indexed to the next station. If the bobbin core 92 is obstructed, the scanner 140 causes a circuit to be activated to operate a three-way vented solenoid valve (not shown) connected with a double acting cylinder 142 (FIG. 2) which is fixedly mounted on the base plate 16, to extend its plunger 144. The plunger carries 1 an abutment 146 which pushes the bobbin 20 off its moved above the base plate 16 and then lowered and released by its pair of grippers 90 so that it drops onto another magnet seat 130, at the preliminary servicing magnetic seat and into a reject chute 148 forv removal from the apparatus. If desired, the chute 148 may deposit the rejected bobbin in an inspection bin 150 for subsequent inspection, usually manual inspection.

Upon the next indexing of the carrier 22, if the bobbin 20 passed the inspection as discussed immediately above, it is gripped and moved, as previously described, to the cleaning and yarn ends processing station No. 3.

CLEANING AND YARN ENDS PROCESSING STATION NO. 3

At the cleaning and yarn ends processing station No. 3, a guiding assembly 152 (to be described more fully later) for a fluid current, and herein an air current, is fixed to the base plate 16 and has a chamber 154 depending from the base plate at station No. 3 with the top of the chamber having a port 156 directly below the bobbin 20. A long tube 158 communicates with a lower portion of the chamber 154. At the end of the tube 158 away from the chamber is a valve and scissor-type strand cutter unit 160 generally of the type described in the previously noted United States Patent. In brief, the valve and cutter unit 160 has a valve member pivoted to a housing mounted between the long tube 158 and a vacuum supply tube 162. A blade of the cutter is fixed to the valve member with a cooperating blade similarly fixed to the housing. This valve and cutter unit 160 is actuated in the usual manner by a double acting cylinder I64 fixed to the housing 160.

With the bobbin 20 held in its pair of grippers 90 at station No. 3 the valve and cutter unit 160 is open and an arbor 166, which will be fully described later, is in serted into the bobbin core 92 and as the pair of grippers 90 are opened the bobbin core is centered by an inverted frusto-conical bushing 168 (FIG. 6) on the arbor. A chuck 170 of the arbor is expanded to grip the interior of the bobbin core and the arbor is started rotating to rotate the bobbin. As soon as the arbor I66 grips the bobbin the arbor gently forces the bobbin against a frusto-conical clamp 172 (FIGS. 1 and 5) which is then closing the port 156. The arbor is first rotated in the winding direction of a wound body of yarn 174 on the bobbin core 92, to facilitate the air current, which is induced to flow about the body of yarn 174 and through a slot 176 in a conduit 178 of the guiding assembly 152, to find and retain, i.e., pick up, an unwinding end 180 of the body of yarn (and any other yarn on the bobbin) if the yarn is wound in a reverse direction about the body of yarn 174. In general, this air current also cleans the exterior of the bobbin of foreign matter such as extraneous strands of yarn, for example, and such foreign matter is disposed of through the long tube. Next, the direction of rotation of the arbor 166 is reversed to rotate the bobbin 20 in its unwinding direction whereupon a length ofthe unwinding end 180 is unwound and drawn through the long tube 158 (FIG. 1) and the lower valve and cutter unit 160.

The clamp 172 (FIGS. 1 and is fixed to the upper free end of a plunger 182 of a double acting clamp cylinder 184 which extends through and is in sealed engagement with a lower wall 186 of the chamber 154 and is fixed at its lower end to a mount 188 which is integral with the guiding assembly 152. When the clamp 172 is retracted it is below an inclined upwardly facing surface 190 in the chamber 154 to prevent yarn from being snagged about the plunger 182. Operation of the clamp cylinder 184 moves the clamp 172 from a closed position seated against a downwardly diverging annular seat 192 about the port 156 to an open position spaced downwardly from this seat and below the inclined surface 190, whereupon the air current enters the chamber 154 through the port 156 and draws a tailing end 194 (FIGS. 1 and 5) of the body of yarn through the port 156. It is to be understood that winding of the body of yarn starts at the tailing end. A nozzle 196 (FIG. 5) is fixedly mounted on the guiding assembly 152 slightly above the port 156 and is operated by a shut-off valve controlled by the programmer to provide a jet of air directed generally tangentially against the lower end of the bobbin to aid in finding the tailing end.

As will be more fully described later, with the tailing In order to prevent the tailing end 194 from moving across or between the bottom of the steel ring 128 and the clamp 172, an undercut annular groove 198 is provided in the top of the clamp just below a flat upper face 200 of the clamp. The groove 198 is concentric with the clamp and receives the tailing end and holds it against movement between the core ring 128 and the clamp 172.

The conduit 178 is generally vertically aligned with the connection between the long tube 158 and the chamber 154, and the conduit slot 176 communicates at its lower end with a lower neck 202 which opens into the port 156. As previously mentioned, the slot 176 preferably extends generally axially of and faces the bobbin for cleaning the bobbin of extraneous matter, such as loose yarn, and for handling the unwinding end of the yarn wound on the bobbin. In the lower portion of the conduit the slot 176 is preferably formed by two parallel flanges 204 (FIGS. 2 and 5) which are detachably fixed to the conduit by bolts 206 so that the location of the outer end of the slot 176, which is adjacent the bobbin. may be changed by changing to wider or narrower flanges to accommodate bobbins 20 having large or small fully filled diameters. The outer ends of these flanges 204 are preferably provided with perpendicular flanges 208 extending the full length of the flanges 204 and outwardly in opposite directions, one from each of the flanges 204, for causing an air current entering the slot 176 to follow the cylindrical surface of the bobbin 20 adjacent the slot. By this means better cleaning and end finding functioning of the air current is provided, rather than possibly permitting the air current to follow along the outer surface of the column adjacent the slot. Depending on particular circumstances, the use of only one such perpendicular flange 208 has been found to be adequate. Lands 210 (FIGS. 2 and 5) may be provided along the interior surface of the conduit 178 to improve the flow of the air current within the conduit and to retard swirling of the unwinding end.

A sliding air shut-off valve 212 (FIG. 1) is provided at the uppwer end of the vertical conduit 178. This valve has a valve member mounted in slideway formed in the upper end of the conduit 178 and the lower end of an upper conduit 214 of the guiding assembly. Actuation of the valve 212 is provided by a double acting cylinder 216 (FIG. I) mounted on the conduit 178. During the end finding functions this valve is closed.

The construction and mounting of the arbor 166 is preferably as follows. A bracket 218 (FIGS. 5 and 6) is fixed to the conduit 178. An outer sleeve 220 of the arbor is telescopically journalled in a bearing (not shown) fixed to the bracket 218. A rod 224 is telescoped in the sleeve 220 for rotation therewith by means of a radial pin 226 fixed to the rod 224 and extending through an axially elongated slots 228 in the sleeve 220 with the pin extending outwardly from the sleeve. The lower end of the rod 224 has a head 230 (FIG. 6) which enters the bobbin core 92. The core is gripped by equally radially spaced, rigid chuck members 232 slidably received in axially extending slots in the rod head 230. These chuck members 232 have beveled downwardly facing surfaces 234 received by a cooperating beveled surface 236 of the head 230 to urge the chuck members 232 outwardly as a lower end of the sleeve 220 which rests against upwardly facing surfaces 238 of chuck members 232 moves downwardly. The end surface of the sleeve 220 and the cooperating chuck member surfaces 238 may, if desired, have cooperating bevels (not shown) to aid in urging the chuck members outwardly. A resilient band 240 extends about and is received in notches in the chuck members 232 to retract them when the sleeve 220 is moved upwardly. Alternatively, the rigid chuck member construction may be replaced by a resilient sleeve (not shown), or a plurality for resilient sleeves separated by rigid washer, and telescoped on the rod between the rod head and the lower end surface of the sleeve to be expanded outwardly as the sleeve moves toward the rod head.

The arbor sleeve 220 is moved axially downwardly and upwardly by operation of a double acting arbor cylinder 242 fixed to the bracket 218 with its plunger 244 fixed to a housing 246. This housing receives a bearing (not shown) and is thereby mounted axially fixed to and rotatably relative to the top of the sleeve 220. A lug 248 on the housing 246 is received in a slot 250 (FIG. 6) in the bracket 218, the slot extending axially of the cylinder 242 and arbor 166 to hold the housi'ng 246 against rotation. As the sleeve 220 is depressed the inverted frusto-conical surface of the bushing 168 engages the ring 128 on the top of the bobbin core to aid in centering the bobbin, as previously mentioned. The bushing 168 has lugs 251 received in axial slots 252 in a collar 253 secured to the sleeve 220. The lugs are normally urged against the bottoms of the slots by means of a compression spring 254 telescoped about the sleeve and seated at its lower end on the top of the bushing and at its upper end on an annular rim of the collar. Thus, as the arbor 166 is inserted into the bobbin core, the bushing 168 may move upwardly after it engages the bobbin 20.

The rod 224 moves with the sleeve 220 into the bobbin core 92 until the pin 226 seats in any of a plurality of pairs of concentric notches 256 in the upper face of a gear 258 journalled on the bracket 218 and concentric with the arbor. The rod 224 is held against further axial movement by the gear 258 and the pin 226, but the sleeve 220 continues to move downwardly until the pin 226 engages the upper end of the slot 228 in the sleeve, thereby radially expanding the chuck members 232 into gripping engagement with the bobbin core 92. The gear 258 is always meshed with a driving gear 260 on the shaft a reversible rotary air motor 262 which is mounted on the bracket 218 and is driven only responsive to an external signal indicating that a bobbin is required. However, the cylinder 242 of arbor 166 is inserted into and grips the bobbin core 92 at the end of an indexing cycle of the carrier 22, as is set forth in the following description.

As the indexing cylinder 62 is actuated through operation of the programmer at the end of an indexing cycle its plunger 64 is extended to index the carrier 22. At the end of the outward stroke of the plunger the carrier is in its new in-station position and the pivot pin 66 on the end of the plunger 64 engages and opens a shutoff valve 264 (FIGS. 2 and 12 (which is mounted on the base plate 16. As shown in FIG. 12, the shut-off valve 264 when opened provides pilot air to an air pilot 265 of a vented shut-off valve 266 which provides operating air to the arbor cylinder 242. After indexing the carrier 22, the plunger 64 is returned to its retracted position and the shut-off valve 264 closes but the air piloted valve 266 remains open and to this end is provided with a restricted bleed 268 from its outlet to its air pilot 265. Near the end of the next indexing cycle, the programmer operates a normally closed vent valve 269 to vent the pilot air whereupon the vented shutoff valve 266 releases the operating pressure from the arbor cylinder 242 and the arbor is withdrawn from the bobbin 20.

When the arbor cylinder 242 moves the arbor sleeve 220 upwardly the chuck members 232 are retracted by the resilient band 240 to release the bobbin core. In consequence, the pin 226 seats on the bottom end of the slot 228 and the sleeve 220 and the rod 224 are then concurrently withdrawn from the bobbin core 92 as the pair of grippers 90 close to grip the bobbin 20. The inverted frusto-conical bushing 168 aids in stripping the bobbin 20 from the arbor as its spring urges it against the top ring 128 on the bobbin core. The bobbin may now be transferred in the usual manner to the bunch making and bunch depositing station No. 4.

The motor 262 is in positive driving connection with the arbor 166 through the gears 258 and 260. This motor also drives the programmer. The programmer has a cam shaft 270 which is rotated step by step, as follows. An eccentric 272 is mounted on the motor shaft for rotation therewith. The eccentric 272 carries a rachet pawl 274 and upon rotation of the motor shaft in either direction to rotate the arbor in the winding or unwinding directions the pawl 274 repeatedly engages rachet teeth on a rachet wheel 278 fixed to the programmer shaft-270 so that this shaft is rotated step by step in the same direction regardless of the direction of rotation of the motor shaft.

BUNCH MAKING AND BUNCH DEPOSITING STATION- NO. 4

With reference to FIGS. 1 and 8 at the bunch making and bunch depositing station No. 4 the conduit 214 of the guiding assembly 152 communicates, through a chamber 280 of a bunch maker 282, with an upper vacuum tube 284. Between the bunch maker 282 and the upper vacuum tube 284 there is a valve and cutter unit 286 which is substantially similar to the lower valve and cutter unit which is operated by a double acting cylinder 288 mounted on the unit 286. The bunch maker 282 and the conduit 214 are detachably fixed to each other, as by bolts, with a slide valve 290 therebetween. This slide valve has a valve member 292 (FIG. 8) mounted in slideways in a chamber sidewall 294 of the bunch maker 282 and held in place by the end of the conduit 214. The valve member 292 closes a sidewall opening 296 between the bunch maker chamber 280 and the conduit 214, and is operated by a double acting cylinder 298 mounted on the conduit. Also, a slide valve 300 is mounted in slideways in the conduit 214 and held in place by a clamp plate 301 at the bottom of a mouth 302 of the bunch maker 282. The slide valve 300 is actuated by a double acting .cylinder 304 mounted on the conduit 214. The conduit slot 176 is preferably about 1/16 inch wide and, as previously noted, communicates with the lower neck 202. Said slot 176 also extends longitudinally the entire length of the conduits 178 and 214, and communicates with slots in the slide valve 212 and an aspirator 306 at the bunch maker mouth' 302 which opens into the bunch maker chamber.

SUMMARY OF THE END FINDING FUNCTIONS AT STATION NO. 3 AND TRANSFER OF THE UNWINDING END TO STATION NO. 4

When the arbor 166 is inserted into and grips the bobbin core 92 to rotate the bobbin in the winding direction, the valve and cutter unit 286 at the bunch maker, the valve 212 between theconduits 178 and 214, and the clamp 172 are closed. The lower valve and cutter unit 160 is open so that vacuum is applied to the chamber 154 and the conduit 178 and therefore through the slot 176 up to the closed valve 212 between the conduits 178 and 214. The clamp 172 is then opened and the air current is therefore induced to flow through the clamp port 156 and this air current, along with the tangential jet of air from the nozzle 196 above the port finds the tailing end 194 of yarn, if there is such an end, and the end is drawn through the port if the tailing end is long enough. If the unwinding end 180 is entangled with the tailing end 194 both ends are drawn through the port 156. In any event, when the bobbin 20 is rotated in its unwinding direction (which is the winding direction of the tailing end) the clamp is closed, the tailing end, or both ends as the case may be, are clamped between the annular seat and the clamp and the tailing end is severed. If the unwinding end is also clamped it is released as the clamp 172 is opened and the unwinding end is drawn through the neck 202 and eventually drawn through the slot 176, the lower tube 158 and the lower valve and cutter unit 160. The clamp 172 is then again closed.

The lower valve and cutter unit 160 is now actuated to close the valve and sever the unwinding end 180 with a long length of this end still attached to the body of yarn 174 on the bobbin and extending through the tube 158. The uppwer valve and cutter unit 286 at station No. 4, and the valve 212 between the conduits 178 and 214 are opened, the valve 300 at the bunch maker mouth is closed, and the unwinding end is transferred by the resultant air current through the conduit slot 176, the bunch maker chamber 280 and the open upper valve and cutter unit 286 with the unwinding end having remained under control of the air current from the time it was first picked-up by the air current.

As the unwinding end is transferred to the bunch maker 282 it moves through the slot 176 and past the rotating arbor 166. In order to prevent the unwinding end from being wound about the rotating arbor, the arbor telescopes through a smooth, generally pearshaped sleeve 308 (FIGS. 1, and 6) mounted on a bracket 310 fixed to the upper actuating disc 110 so that the sleeve 308 moves over and encases the top of the bobbin as the disc 110 moves downwardly to open the grippers 90. Rotation of the bobbin 20 is now stopped by retraction of the chuck so that the bobbin is resting on the closed clamp 172. Next, the grippers 90 close on the bobbin as the arbor 166 is withdrawn from the bobbin core 92. As the arbor 166 is withdrawn from the bobbin core 92 the inverted frusto-conical bushing 168 aids in stripping the bobbin 20 from the arbor 166.

The unwinding end is transferred to the bunch maker 282 at station No. 4 before the bobbin 20 is transferred. As the bobbin 20 is being transferred a shut-off valve in a line 312 opening into an upper portion 314 of the bunch maker chamber 280 is opened so that suction is applied in the top ofthe chamber. At the same time this shut-off valve is opened the slide valve 300 at the bunch maker mouth 302 and the valve 290 at the sidewall opening 296 are closed and a normally closed shut-off valve to the valve and cutter unit 286 at the bunch maker is opened. This actuates an initial pneumatic time delay which at the end of the delay operates the unit 286 to close the valve and sever the unwinding end when the bobbin is in station No. 4 and is still held by the grippers 90. This ends the cycle and the unwinding end is held in the chamber by the air flow through the top of the bunch maker chamber 280 until the start of the next cycle.

THE BUNCH MAKER AT STATION NO. 4

At the start of the next cycle the unwinding end of yarn which is still attached to the bobbin 20 is unwound over end from the bobbin and is drawn into the bunch maker chamber 280 by the aspirator 306 (FIG. 8) which forms a neck 315 between the bunch maker mouth 302 and chamber 280. The aspirator 306 is an insert sealed in a socket 316 in the conduit 214 in axial alignment with the bunch maker chamber 280 and clamped therein by the clamp plate 301. An annular undercut in a major portion of the insert forms a chamber 318. This chamber 318 has an inlet 320 opening through the conduit 214 and communicating through a shut-off valve with a source of psi air. The air passes upwardly through passages 322 inclined at about 15 in the insert between the chamber 318 and the neck 315 to provide jets of air converging upwardly at about 15 through the neck for moving the unwinding end into a lower portion 324 of the bunch maker chamber. A slot 326 in the aspirator connects with the conduit slot 176 for transfer of the yarn as previously discussed. The lower portion 324 of the bunch maker chamber diverges upwardly toward a perforate partition 328 (FIGS. 8 and 9) between the upper portion 314 and a lower portion 324 of the chamber 280. The unwinding end is deposited in random loops on the partition 328 as is more fully described in the previously noted U. S. patent.

The perforate partition 328 extends completely across the chamber 280 and has a convex lower face on which the unwinding end is deposited. Perforations 330 (FIG. 9) are dispersed in the partition about a large center circular port 332 so as to provide turbulance and a swirling action at the lower face of the partition to form loops of the unwinding end. The perforations 330 may be of any suitable size, for example about 0.050 inch diameter and relatively very long, for example about 9/16 inch long so that the unwinding end, which may have a width of about a tenth to a fifteenth of the perforation diameter, is not drawn through the perforations as may occur with a screen or a relatively thin perforated plate. As the unwinding end whips across the lower face of the perforate partition 328 it forms relatively large loops upon itself near the outside periphery of the partition. It is preferable that these loops be approximately at least twice as long as the circumference of the hollow in the bobbin core 92.

Vacuum to the upper portion 314 of the chamber 280 and the jets from the aspirator 306 are now shutoff. With the unwinding end extending directly from the bobbin 20 through the aspirator the top of the bobbin core 92 is lifted through the mouth 302 and into the aspirator 306 to the base of the chamber 280 to block off the slot 326.

Lifting of the bobbin takes place in the following manner. When the pair of bobbin grippers open at station No. 4, the ring 128 on the lower end of the bobbin 20 rests on a magnetic seat 334 (FIG. 1) which is freely received in a cut-out in the base plate 16 and is normally flush with the upper surface of the base plate. This seat 334 is part of a bobbin elevator 336 including a vertical guide rod 338 and a vertical cylinder 340 fixed to and extending upwardly from the base plate 16. A bracket 342 is slidably mounted on the rod 338 and the cylinder 340 and is fixed to the plunger 344 of cylinder 340. The bracket 342 carries the seat 334. Upon operation of the cylinder 340 the top end of the bobbin core 92 is lifted through the bunch maker mouth 302 (FIG. 8).

An upperair shut-off valve is now opened for the passage of high pressure air (80 psi, for example) through a line 346 (FIG. 8) and an annular outlet 348 into the upper portion 314 of the bunch maker chamber 280 and through the perforate partition 328. In consequence, the unwinding end which is looped on lower face of the perforate partition is blown off of the partition in a mass and moves downwardly in a converging path along the downwardly converging sidewall 294 of the lower chamber portion 324 to form the bunch 138 at or above the aspirator 306. A plunger 350 of a cylinder 352 mounted atop the bunch maker 282 is fixed to a ram 354 which is in substantially sealed telescopic engagement with the perforate partition 328 about the central opening therein and is normally flush with the lower face of thepartition. The ram 354 now moves downwardly upon operation of the cylinder 352 in the usual manner, to move the bunch 138 into the bobbin core 92. The position of the bunch 138 in the core 92 may be easily varied by varying the stroke of the plunger 350.

By forming large loops of yarn in the bunch maker chamber 280 and then compressing these loops along the downwardly converging sidewall 294 of the chamber and ejecting the compressed loops through the bunch maker mouth and into the hollow core 92 of the bobbin, which has a diameter about the same as that of the neck of the aspirator 306, the bunch 138 tends to expand in the bobbin core 92 and thus holds itself in the core.

The valves 212, 290 and 300, the valve and cutter units 160 and 286, and the clamp 172 are returned to the position described when the bobbin was received at the prior station No. 3. The elevator 336 is operated to lower the bobbin 20 whereupon the grippers 90 close and the bobbin is indexed to the bunch inspection station'No. 5.

BUNCH INSPECTION STATION- NO.

below the bobbin core. The scanner 358 is in circuit as shown in the previously cited United States Patent and, if it does not detect a bunch 138 in the core 92, as may result if the yarn is exhausted during processing of a partially filled bobbin having but a small amount of yarn when it is received at station No. 1, for example, the circuit opens a three-way solenoid valve. This valve actuates a bobbin reject cylinder 362 (FIG. 3) to extend its plunger 364 and a head 366 thereon to lift an adjacent lug 368 pivoted on the upper positioning member 60. This motion actuates a memory system which subsequently causes rejection of the defective bobbin 20. There are six of these lugs 368 on the upper positioning member 60, one associated with each of the six pairs of bobbin grippers 90. If the bunch 138 is in the bobbin core 92 the scanner 358 does not initiate operation of the memory system and upon the next indexing of the carrier 22 the bobbin 20 is moved to the discharge station No. 6.

DISCHARGE STATION- NO. 6

Upon opening of the grippers at the discharge station No. 6 the bobbin 20 drops onto an adjacent one of a plurality of magnetic seats 370 (FIG. 1) attached by an arm 371 to a continuous conveyor chain 372 of an upright elevator 374 which lifts the bobbin step by step corresponding to indexing of the carrier 22. The elevator 374 first moves the bobbin 20 and its seat 370 into a vertical tube 376 and then into a sorting and discharge unit 378 controlled by the memory system.

At the sorting and discharge unit 378 (FIGS.' 10 and 11) the bobbin 20 is moved into a frame 380 having pairs 381 of opposite pivot pins 382, one pair 381 at either end of the frame. Each pair 381 of these pivot pins 382 is received in notches 384 in a supporting base 386 fixed to a housing 388 of the unit 378. A keeper 390 has pairs oflegs 392 intermediately pivoted by pins 394 on the base 380 and pivoted by pins 396 at their lower end to an actuating link 398. At their upper ends the legs 392 having keeper notches 400 for selectively holding either pair 381 of pins 382 in their pivot notches 384 so that the frame 380 pivots about the held pair of pins 382 as the other pair of pins is moved out of its pivot notches 384. The keeper unit is operated by a double acting cylinder 402 mounted on the base 386 with its plungerpivoted to the keeper link 398. The cylinder is controlled by a three-way vent valve 404 (FIGS. 2-4) mounted on the base plate 16 and operated by the lug 368 which corresponds to the bob bin position on the elevator 374 if the lug has been lifted to its actuating position, as previously discussed. The arm 371 of each bobbin seat 370 of the elevator 374 engages the frame 380 midway between its pairs 381 of pivot pins 382 to pivot the frame about the held pair of pivot pins. If the bobbin is to be rejected the valve 404 is operated to move the keeper unit for holding the appropriate pair 381 of pivot pins 382 in their pivot notches 384 and, as the frame 380 is pivoted by the arm 371 of the seat, the frame 380 moves the bobbin 20 off of its seat 370 and into a reject chute 406 which deposits the rejected bobbin in the inspection bin 150. If the bobbin passed the inspection it is deposited in a similar manner into another chute 408 for eventual use at a winding station. A bobbin retaining shutter 412 is pivoted to the housing 388 and is operated by a double acting cylinder 414 mounted on the housing, for releasably retaining a bobbin in the chute 408 until time for transport of the bobbin to the winder. Upon the next indexing of the carrier 22, ifthe lug 368 was depressed, it is moved by a cam 410 (FIGS. 2'4) on the base plate 16 back to its extended position.

While this invention has been described with reference to a particular embodiment in a particular environment, various changes may be apparent to one skilled in the art and the invention is therefore not to be limited to such embodiment or environment except as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for processing a bobbin having a wound body of yarn with an outer unwinding end and an inner tail end comprising, means for sequentially rotating the bobbin in a winding direction and then in an unwinding direction, entraining means operable to draw said unwinding end and said inner tail end from said bobbin during rotation of the bobbin, and holding means operable to hold the tail end as the bobbin is rotated in the unwinding direction and thereby part said tail end from said bobbin.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said entraining means includes means for directing a current along substantially the full length of the body of yarn.

3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said current is an air current.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has opposite ends and an axis about which the body of yarn is wound, said entraining means includes a slot and a port generally transverse to the slot for passage of said current through the slot and port, and said rotating means includes means for rotating the bobbin about said axis with said body of yarn extending generally axially along said slot and an end of said bobbin facing said port.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has a hollow core about which the body of yarn is wound, and including bobbin handling means for releasably gripping the bobbin and positioning the bobbin on said holding means.

6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including strand control means for directing said unwinding end past one end of the bobbin.

7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said strand control means provides means for maintaining said unwinding end under control of said current while first moving said unwinding end in a direction past said one end of said bobbin and then moving said unwinding end in a generally opposite direction past the opposite end of the bobbin.

8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means for depositing said unwinding end in said hollow core, said strand control means acting to deliver said unwinding end to the depositing means upon moving said unwinding end past said other end of said bobbin.

9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said depositing means includes means for forming the unwinding end into a bunch.

10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the bunch forming means includes means for receiving the unwinding end and moving said end to form the end into a bunch, and including ram means for inserting the bunch into the hollow core.

11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has a recess therein, and including means for receiving the unwinding end from the entraining means and forming the unwinding end into a bunch, and means comprising a ram for depositing the bunch in the recess ofthe bobbin.

12. Apparatus for handling the unwinding end of a yarn extending from a bobbin comprising, means for receiving said unwinding end and forming the unwinding end into a bunch, said receiving means having perforations therein, the perforations being wide enough to receive the end and substantially longer than wide for preventing the end from passing through the perforations, and means for causing fluid to flow through said perforations to deposit the end on the receiving means.

13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the bobbin has a recess, and including means for depositing the bunch in the recess.

14. Apparatus for processing an end of yarn comprising, a member for receiving the end, means defining perforations in said member wide enough to receive the end and substantially longer than wide for preventing the end from passing therethrough, and means for depositing the end on the member.

15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the depositing means includes means for causing a current to pass through said perforations to deposit the end on the member.

16. Apparatus for processing a bobbin having an end of yarn in the form ofa bunch and a recess for receiving the bunch comprising, means including a ram for depositing the bunch in said recess, and means for positioning the recess to receive the bunch.

17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for depositing the bunch further includes guide means for directing the bunch toward said recess, and means for moving said ram through said guide means to deposit the bunch in the recess.

18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said ram moves into said recess to deposit said bunch and including means for adjusting the distance the ram moves into said recess to control the position of the bunch in said recess.

19. Apparatus for inspecting a bobbin having a body of yarn thereon with an unwinding end positioned in a recess on the bobbin for subsequent processing com-' prising, first means for inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing of the bobbin to determine whether or not the end is so positioned with the bobbin and subsequently processing the bobbin if the end is so positioned, and second means for precluding subsequent processing of the bobbin if the end is not so positioned.

20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 including means for sorting out a bobbin which has been precluded from processing.

21. A method of processing a bobbin having a wound body of yarn with an outer unwinding end and an inner tail end comprising the steps of, sequentially rotating the bobbin in a winding direction and then in an unwinding direction, entraining said outer unwinding end and said inner tail end during said sequential rotation, and holding said tail end during rotation of the bobbin in the unwinding direction to part the tail end from the bobbin.

22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the step of entraining the outer unwinding end includes directing a current along substantially the full length of the body of yarn.

23. A method as set forth in claim 21 including the step of maintaining said unwinding end under control of said current while first moving said unwinding end in a direction past one end of said bobbin and then mov ing said unwinding end in a generally opposite direction past-the opposite end of the bobbin.

24. A method as set forth in claim 23 including the step of depositing said unwinding end in a recess on said bobbin.

25. A method as set forth in claim 24 including the step of first forming the unwinding end into a bunch and then depositing the bunch in said recess.

26. A method for inspecting a bobbin having a body of yarn thereon with an unwinding end positioned in a recess on the bobbin for subsequent processing comprising the steps of, inspecting the bobbin prior to said subsequent processing to determine whether or not the end is so positioned with the bobbin, subsequently processing the bobbin if the ,end is so positioned, and precluding subsequent processing of the bobbin if the end is not so positioned.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 including the step of sorting out a bobbin which has been precluded from processing.

28. Apparatus for positioning the unwinding end of a body of yarn on a bobbin in engagement with said bobbin for subsequent retrieval comprising, first means for inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing by the apparatus to determine if the end is so positioned and precluding further processing of the bobbin if the end is so positioned, and if the end is not so positioned for retaining the bobbin for subsequent processing; and second means for processing such retained bobbin to so position said end.

29. Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said first means is operable to attempt to remove an end positioned on said bobbin.

30. Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said bobbin has a core with a recess therein and said end when positioned on said bobbin is received in said recess, and said first means provides for first attempting to remove said positioned end and then for inspecting the bobbin.

31. Apparatus as set forth in claim 30 wherein said second means is operable to form the end into a bunch and deposit the bunch into said recess.

32. A method for positioning the unwinding end of a body of yarn on a bobbin in engagement with said bobbin for subsequent retrieval comprising the steps of, inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing thereof to determine if the end is so positioned and precluding further processing of the bobbin if the end is so positioned, retaining the bobbin for subsequent processing if the end is not so positioned, and processing such retained bobbin to so position said end.

33. A method as set forth in claim 32 including the step of attempting to remove an end so positioned on said bobbin prior to inspecting said bobbin.

34. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the bobbin includes a core with a recess therein and said end positioned on said bobbin is received in said core, and said step of attempting to remove said end posi tioned on said bobbin includes exerting a force toward said'recess.

35. A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the step of processing the bobbin includes forming the end into a bunch and depositing the bunch into said recess. 

1. Apparatus for processing a bobbin having a wound body of yarn with an outer unwinding end and an inner tail end comprising, means for sequentially rotating the bobbin in a winding direction and then in an unwinding direction, entraining means operable to draw said unwinding end and said inner tail end from said bobbin during rotation of the bobbin, and holding means operable to hold the tail end as the bobbin is rotated in the unwinding direction and thereby part said tail end from said bobbin.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said entraining means includes means for directing a current along substantially the full length of the body of yarn.
 3. Apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said current is an air current.
 4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has opposite ends and an axis about which the body of yarn is wound, said entraining means includes a slot and a port generally transverse to the slot for passage of said current through the slot and port, and said rotating means includes means for rotating the bobbin about said axis with said body of yarn extending generally axially along said slot and an end of said bobbin facing said port.
 5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has a hollow core about which the body of yarn is wound, and including bobbin handling means for releasably gripping the bobbin and positioning the bobbin on said holding means.
 6. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 including strand control means for directing said unwinding end past one end of the bobbin.
 7. Apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said strand control means provides means for maintaining said unwinding end under control of said current while first moving said unwinding end in a direction past said one end of said bobbin and then moving said unwinding end in a generally opposite direction past the opposite end of the bobbin.
 8. Apparatus as set forth in claim 7 including means for depositing said unwinding end in said hollow core, said strand control means acting to deliver said unwinding end to the depositing means upon moving said unwinding end past said other end of said bobbin.
 9. Apparatus as set forth in claim 8 wherein said depositing means includes means for forming the unwinding end into a bunch.
 10. Apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein the bunch forming means includes means for receiving the unwinding end and moving said end to form the end into a bunch, and including ram means for inserting the bunch into the hollow core.
 11. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein the bobbin has a recess therein, and including means for receiving the unwinding end from the entraining means and forming the unwinding end into a bunch, and means comprising a ram for depositing the bunch in the recess of the bobbin.
 12. Apparatus for handling the unwinding end of a yarn extending from a bobbin comprising, means for receiving said unwinding end and forming the unwinding end into a bunch, said receiving means having perforations therein, the perforations being wide enough to receive the end and substantially longer than wide for preventing the end from passing through the perforations, and means for causing fluid to flow through said perforations to deposit the end on the receiving means.
 13. Apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein the bobbin has a recess, and including means for depositing the bunch in the recess.
 14. Apparatus for processing an end of yarn comprising, a member for receiving the end, means defining perforations in said member wide enough to receive the end and substantially longer than wide for preventing the end from passing therethrough, and means for depositing the end on the member.
 15. Apparatus as set forth in claim 14 wherein the depositing means includes means for causing a currEnt to pass through said perforations to deposit the end on the member.
 16. Apparatus for processing a bobbin having an end of yarn in the form of a bunch and a recess for receiving the bunch comprising, means including a ram for depositing the bunch in said recess, and means for positioning the recess to receive the bunch.
 17. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein the means for depositing the bunch further includes guide means for directing the bunch toward said recess, and means for moving said ram through said guide means to deposit the bunch in the recess.
 18. Apparatus as set forth in claim 16 wherein said ram moves into said recess to deposit said bunch and including means for adjusting the distance the ram moves into said recess to control the position of the bunch in said recess.
 19. Apparatus for inspecting a bobbin having a body of yarn thereon with an unwinding end positioned in a recess on the bobbin for subsequent processing comprising, first means for inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing of the bobbin to determine whether or not the end is so positioned with the bobbin and subsequently processing the bobbin if the end is so positioned, and second means for precluding subsequent processing of the bobbin if the end is not so positioned.
 20. Apparatus as set forth in claim 19 including means for sorting out a bobbin which has been precluded from processing.
 21. A method of processing a bobbin having a wound body of yarn with an outer unwinding end and an inner tail end comprising the steps of, sequentially rotating the bobbin in a winding direction and then in an unwinding direction, entraining said outer unwinding end and said inner tail end during said sequential rotation, and holding said tail end during rotation of the bobbin in the unwinding direction to part the tail end from the bobbin.
 22. A method as set forth in claim 21 wherein the step of entraining the outer unwinding end includes directing a current along substantially the full length of the body of yarn.
 23. A method as set forth in claim 21 including the step of maintaining said unwinding end under control of said current while first moving said unwinding end in a direction past one end of said bobbin and then moving said unwinding end in a generally opposite direction past the opposite end of the bobbin.
 24. A method as set forth in claim 23 including the step of depositing said unwinding end in a recess on said bobbin.
 25. A method as set forth in claim 24 including the step of first forming the unwinding end into a bunch and then depositing the bunch in said recess.
 26. A method for inspecting a bobbin having a body of yarn thereon with an unwinding end positioned in a recess on the bobbin for subsequent processing comprising the steps of, inspecting the bobbin prior to said subsequent processing to determine whether or not the end is so positioned with the bobbin, subsequently processing the bobbin if the end is so positioned, and precluding subsequent processing of the bobbin if the end is not so positioned.
 27. A method as set forth in claim 26 including the step of sorting out a bobbin which has been precluded from processing.
 28. Apparatus for positioning the unwinding end of a body of yarn on a bobbin in engagement with said bobbin for subsequent retrieval comprising, first means for inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing by the apparatus to determine if the end is so positioned and precluding further processing of the bobbin if the end is so positioned, and if the end is not so positioned for retaining the bobbin for subsequent processing; and second means for processing such retained bobbin to so position said end.
 29. Apparatus as set forth in claim 28 wherein said first means is operable to attempt to remove an end positioned on said bobbin.
 30. Apparatus as set forth in claim 29 wherein said bobbin has a core with a recess therein and said end when positioned on said bobbin is received in said recess, and Said first means provides for first attempting to remove said positioned end and then for inspecting the bobbin.
 31. Apparatus as set forth in claim 30 wherein said second means is operable to form the end into a bunch and deposit the bunch into said recess.
 32. A method for positioning the unwinding end of a body of yarn on a bobbin in engagement with said bobbin for subsequent retrieval comprising the steps of, inspecting the bobbin prior to subsequent processing thereof to determine if the end is so positioned and precluding further processing of the bobbin if the end is so positioned, retaining the bobbin for subsequent processing if the end is not so positioned, and processing such retained bobbin to so position said end.
 33. A method as set forth in claim 32 including the step of attempting to remove an end so positioned on said bobbin prior to inspecting said bobbin.
 34. A method as set forth in claim 33 wherein the bobbin includes a core with a recess therein and said end positioned on said bobbin is received in said core, and said step of attempting to remove said end positioned on said bobbin includes exerting a force toward said recess.
 35. A method as set forth in claim 34 wherein the step of processing the bobbin includes forming the end into a bunch and depositing the bunch into said recess. 